by Thorsten Koch
The decision as to who will be the CDU-CSU’s candidate for Chancellor could be made this week. This was agreed upon by CSU chairman Markus Söder and CDU chairman Armin Laschet. The two had previously spoken in front of about 250 CDU members of the Bundestag. The group’s meeting lasted nearly four hours. Both politicians – Laschet and Söder – are ready to be candidates for Chancellor.
Laschet said that the CDU party presidium and the federal executive committee of his party supported him. Söder emphasized the role of the Union parliamentary group and emphasized that he enjoyed favorable polls among the population. Of the 70 or so requests to speak, more MPs are said to have spoken out in favor of Söder: 60 percent for Söder and 33 percent for Laschet. In the group of Bundestag members, according to press reports, 110 MPs are said to have stood behind Söder, 64 behind Laschet. 56 MPs have not yet taken public position.
Climate protection should not be left to the Green Party
Söder told the Union parliamentary group that the Union must “do everything to be as strong as possible and to get as many members of the Bundestag as possible.” Laschet emphasized that climate protection must have a Union signature, not a green one. The Union must be united and closed. Söder also emphasized that the country should not be left to the Greens. The conversation with the Union parliamentary group took place out of respect for the parliamentarians, Söder said.
Laschet had previously said that a decision had to be made quickly. Söder wanted a few days longer. There should be “no rush-hour procedure”. The Bavarian Prime Minister said he only wanted to run “if the CDU were ready to support me”. The time for a member survey, as requested by the CSU in the Bavarian state parliament, is too short, Söder added.
Laschet had previously thanked the CDU presidium as well as the CDU federal executive for the trust they had placed in him. The CSU presidium, on the other hand, spoke out in favor of Söder’s candidacy for Chancellor without any dissenting votes. According to surveys, Söder has had higher public approval ratings than Laschet among the population.
